Residency pathway
Residency for family and dependants
A structure in Brazil is rarely an individual matter. Family reunification extends the residency possibility to the people who are part of your life.
In short
The Migration Law provides for residence authorisation for family reunification. It covers, among others, a spouse or partner, children and, depending on the case, ascendants and recognised dependants. Each family situation has documentary particularities, and planning it alongside the main pathway avoids rework and delays.
Who this pathway suits
- Spouses and partners of residents in Brazil or of Brazilian nationals
- Minor children and, depending on the case, adult dependent children
- Ascendants and other relatives with recognised dependency
- Families who prefer to organise all applications within one plan
What becomes possible
- Residence for family members, linked to the main applicant’s situation
- Family life in Brazil without separating the applications in time
- Access to essential Brazilian documents such as the CPF and CRNM
- A basis for schooling and everyday life in the country
- After the required residence period, possible access to naturalisation for each member
General requirements
- Evidence of the family tie through official documents, apostilled and translated by sworn translators
- Regular status of the main applicant, where the application derives from their residence
- Complete civil documentation: marriage, stable union or birth certificates, as applicable
- Criminal record certificates for adults
- Evidence of means of support, according to the applicable ground
Economic and personal context
The family dimension is usually what turns an investment into a life decision. For families with assets, the possibility that a spouse and children enjoy the same legal certainty in the country is often more relevant than the investor’s own residence permit. This stage is worth planning from the outset.
How it works, step by step
- 01
Mapping the family situation
We identify who is to be included, the tie in each case, and the documentation available in each country of origin.
- 02
Legal review of the grounds
We check which ground applies to each family member and which requirements must be met individually.
- 03
Documents, apostilles and translations
We coordinate obtaining certificates, the apostille under the Hague Convention and translation by a sworn public translator in Brazil.
- 04
Filing the applications
We organise the applications in coordination with the main one, avoiding discrepancies between procedures.
- 05
Registration and CRNM for each member
Once granted, we support Federal Police registration and issuance of the CRNM for each family member.
Documents usually required
- Application form for each family member
- Valid travel document for each person
- Marriage, stable union or birth certificate according to the tie, apostilled and translated
- Documents of the main applicant evidencing their status in Brazil
- Criminal record certificates for adults, apostilled and translated
- Proof of payment of the applicable fees
Spouse and family
This is, by its nature, the family pathway. Note that each member has their own application with individual documentation — it is not a single collective procedure. Stable unions and blended families call for extra documentary care.
Registration and the CRNM
Residence authorisation, migration registration and the CRNM are distinct stages of the same path, and it is worth telling them apart.
The residence authorisation is the act by which the Ministry of Justice and Public Security recognises the right to reside. Registration is then carried out with the Federal Police. Only afterwards is the CRNM — Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório — issued, the migrant’s identification document in Brazil.
The CRNM is not a synonym for the residence authorisation: it is the document evidencing the registration that follows from it. In practice, it is the CRNM that lets you open accounts, sign contracts and prove your status in the country.
What happens after approval
- Registration of each family member with the Federal Police and issuance of their CRNM
- Obtaining a CPF for each member, where not already held
- Observing renewal deadlines according to the applicable ground
- Notifying significant changes in the family situation
How PlanBrazil supports you
- We coordinate the mapping of the family situation and the applicable grounds
- We conduct the legal review with our lawyer partner
- We coordinate obtaining certificates in the countries of origin
- We organise apostilles and translations with sworn public translators
- We align the timetable of family applications with the main application
- We support Federal Police registrations and issuance of the CRNM
Frequently asked questions
Is a stable union recognised?
Brazilian law recognises the “união estável”, but documentary evidence requires care, especially where the union was formed abroad. The acceptable form of proof must be assessed individually.
Can family applications be filed with the main one?
Joint planning is advisable to avoid discrepancies between procedures, but each family member has their own application with individual documentation.
Can adult children be included?
That depends on the ground and on evidence of dependency. It is one of the points most requiring individual analysis.
Which documents need an apostille?
As a rule, all documents issued outside Brazil must be apostilled under the Hague Convention and translated by a sworn public translator in Brazil. If the country has not acceded to the Convention, legalisation at a Brazilian diplomatic mission is required.
Legal basis
Related services
Plan residency for the whole family
In an initial conversation, we map your family situation and the possibilities applicable to each member.